I’m a huge advocate of using a paper planner to organise all the compartments of my life. So much so that I wrote a whole series of how and why to use a planner to organise your blog. But I don’t just plan my blog, I plan all the things! If it’s a task I need to tick, a goal I want to hit, or a memory I want to keep. Into the planner it goes. And by doing this for the last 3 years, I’ve discovered some surprising benefits of using a paper planner.
5 Surprising Benefits of Using a Paper Planner (that have nothing to do with being more organised)
Using a Paper Planner has lots of benefits, that have NOTHING to do with being more organised! Discover why you should join Team Planner! #PlanAllTheThings Click To Tweet
Life has never been more hectic, so taking time to format a plan to make the most of my time just makes sense to me. Of course planning helps to be more organised, but I have found lots of extra benefits that have nothing to do with being organised.
1. Declutters Your Mind
Breaking down all my weekly tasks in to daily items declutters my mind. So now, I don’t have to concentrate on remembering all these trivial items. They are written. I can do them, or ignore them. But I don’t have to struggle to remember them, and that clears a lot of mental junk from my brain.
2. Provides Stress Relief
I have a ritual at night of sitting with my planner. A calming cup of camomile tea, a fancy pen to tick off the tasks, and a few minutes to breathe. Time to reflect, and reassess. On top of that, I often add in a special memory of something that happened that day, and it’s just such an enjoyable, feel-good timeout.
3. Encourages Creativity
You might not associate planning with creativity. However, take a glance at Instagram and see how uniquely and creatively people organise their planners. For example, I love planning with washi tape, stickers, and coloured pens. It allows me to indulge my artistic side in a no stress way (note I use the words artistic very loosely, as I can’t even draw a straight line with a ruler). But it feels imaginative, and somehow that spills over into other areas of my life too.
4. Helps You Steamline Your Life
Reviewing my plans at the end of a week reminds me that I can’t achieve everything. No one has time for perfection in every area of their life, and sometimes good enough will do. A long to-do list focuses my mind, and stops me tweaking something that delivers minimal results.
5. Provides A Sense of Accomplishment
Every task that I tick off my list makes me feel like I’m getting something right. Even a week where I feel I achieved nothing is made better by a glance through my planner. I can see that I really did accomplish something, which then motivates me to do more.
My Planning Process
So that’s why I plan. In a nutshell, I use it a road map to get where I want to go. Not so much follow the yellow brick road, as follow the washi tape goals! On top of the direction it provides , it also helps me enjoy and appreciate the journey. For the last 3 years, I used and adored The Erin Condren Life Planner. This year , I wanted a change. Just because. So I invested in a Carpe Diem A5 planner, and even just taking it out of the box, my heart pounded with excitement. Hand on heart, I can’t wait to create the life I want in 2018 with it. And the life I want comes decorated with washi, and scattered with stickers because that’s how I roll.
Win a Mystery Box of Planner Supplies
Lastly, in case I haven’t encouraged you to start planning, maybe my giveaway will give you an added incentive. I have a mystery stash of planner goodies up for graps. Some rolls of washi tape, planner stickers, motivational reminders and a cute notebook.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This Planner Blog Hop is hosted by Anna @ Herding Cats & Burning Soup with Lauren @ Shooting Stars Mag. Be sure and visit their blogs, to see all the other planner posts for inspiration and more giveaways.
Talk to Trish: Do you plan? What system do you use? And what is your favourite thing about it?
Louisa Bacio
Love your approach/reasons for planning! I use a paper calendar to keep it all on track! I can see how looking at it nightly can be calming.
trish
It really is!
Dawn Marie Hamilton
Hi, Trish. Your planner images made me smile. I agree with your surprising benefits from using a paper planner. Have a fabulous 2018!
trish
Aw thank you Dawn! I love my planner, and it keeping it cute makes me happy 🙂
Angela
I love the idea of planners, but I don’t think my life is so complicated right now that it would warrant using one! I am a big list-maker, though, for my chores each week, and I use a printed calendar to plan my blog posts.
trish
I basically use my planner as a place to keep all my to-lists! I use the wordpress editorial calendar for my blog posts, but track ideas and things I want to talk about in the planner. Glad you have a system that works for you 🙂
S. J. Pajonas
I have a very basic planner that I got where I write down what I need to be doing for work and that’s about it. Everything else is governed by my phone and computer otherwise I would forget to do anything! Lol.
S. J. Pajonas recently posted…NaNoWriMo Update – Still Going Strong!
trish
I do put all appointments in to the calendar on my phone, as otherwise I’d never make it anywhere for the right time and date!
Kathryn Trask
I love the idea of a planner but not sure I’d keep it up, however I love that idea of sitting down and reflecting on the day and the carpe diem planner sounds really interesting.
Kathryn Trask recently posted…November Reading Month in Review
trish
The carpe diem planner is cute, and I love that the pages are basically a blank slate so I can decorate and organise anyway I want.
ShootingStarsMag
Oh, I love the look of this planner! I’m like you – I can’t say I’m all that artistic, but decorating my planner and having fun it allows me to indulge in my creative side and I love that! I also love all the many different types of planners (and uses for them) that are out there!
Thanks for hopping with us!
Lauren
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…Glossies Made Me Do It: An Appetizer and a Gingerbread Camper
trish
It’s such a fun (and practical) hobby. Thanks for organising the hop Lauren, I’m looking forward to checking out all the different posts.
Maureen Bakker
What a great post Trish! I also use paper planners. Two actually. One for my blog and one for my ‘normal’ life. And I love writing in it. And don’t use a lot of stickers and washi tapes etc. But I definitely want to after reading your post. 😉
And I love the look of your new planner!
Maureen Bakker recently posted…Blog Tour ‘Anything For Her’ by G.J. Minett
trish
Using washi and stickers is an addiction with me! So be careful Maureen, it’s a slippery slope 😀
Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog
I love my paper planner. I will say I don’t really decorate but love writing everything out, having things in one place, and being able to see all that is going on.
Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog recently posted…Monthly Rewind ~ November 2017
trish
There is something about writing something down that really works.
Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer
I love your approach to using your planner. Writing hurts my hands so I tend to do everything online, but love keeping everything at my fingertips.
Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer recently posted…Gravity by Dannika Dark
trish
Aw, your poor hands. I know you are a mega planner Kim, so it’s great you have a system that works for you. I do plan online a bit too with my wordpress editorial calendar, and my phone.
Sophia Rose
Those are all excellent points about the benefit of using a planner. I agree about the declutter aspect. My mind has to go so many different ways, particularly at this time of the year. Just using my planner is such a de-stresser.
trish
Right?! It really does work doesn’t it. And we all have so much in our head, that any decluttering can only be good 🙂
Molly @ Molly's Book Nook
I love using paper planners. I tried to do things digitally but it just doesn’t work for me. I use notebooks and paper planners to plan my life and organize things. It’s just a different feeling writing it down than typing it. haha
trish
I’m the same, digital is handy but not as effective as pen and paper for me. I have so many notebooks, it’s ridiculous. But I can’t pass up a cute one!
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I’m a desultory bullet-journaller. Some months, I don’t end up really using it at all; other months, I enjoy setting up my monthly and weekly plans, adding journal/diary notes, and catching up on various lists. The inconsistency is due to the fact that I love setting up systems, but I’m rubbish at sticking to them. So I end up duplicating at least all my appointments and blog planning on Outlook, and appointments go on my phone calendar as well — a triple fail-safe.
trish
I’ve never really got in to bullet journaling, but I’m reading a book about it at the moment. So I might yet! To be honest I put all appointments on my phone too, I need that reminder alarm!
Vi @Inkvotary
I am getting more and more into the mood to start a planner like you and some other bloggers are having. My current planner is very classy – without all the stickers… Since I can´t follow your blog directly, I am following you via eMail and on your other social media accounts *smile*
Thanks for this post and your pictures.
Best wishes
Vi @Inkvotary
Vi @Inkvotary recently posted…The Shop On Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
Karen Blue
I love your list and completely agree! Thanks for sharing this and the chance to win some goodies!
Karen Blue recently posted…November 2017 Wrap Up
Shea
I was nodding my head along with this because I totally agree. I’m a devoted paper planner user, and while it definitely does keep me organized, it does all these things for me as well. I’ve used an Erin Condren planner before and I did like it, but I haven’t heard of a Carpe Diem planner. I’ll have to check it out!
herding cats
Yes! It’s a huge stress relief for me, too. I love sitting down Saturday night and planning out my pages for the week (I do a Sunday-Saturday spread). It’s a good time to get centered and ready for the week 🙂
Thanks for joining in!
herding cats recently posted…4 stars– The Irishman’s Christmas Gamble (Wager of Hearts #2.5) by Nancy Herkness
Farrah
I love using my planner for organizational purposes, but I’m totally with you in that it helps to declutter my mind and encourage creativity! :] I always feel so accomplished when I make it through one! 😛
Thanks for the giveaway!
Summer
I totally agree with this post. I just love the feeling of writing, the sound of the pen scratching the paper, and flipping through the pages.
Vi @Inkvotary
Wonderful news, Trish. Thank you! Just emailed you my address. Have a wonderful evening.
Best wishes
Vi
Vi @Inkvotary recently posted…The Christmas Book Bloggers Tag
Vi @Inkvotary
Hi Trish,
just wanted to let you know, that I received your goodies. I will soon post a picture of all the beautiful things you were sending me 🙂 Thanks a lot!
Best wishes
Vi @Inkvotary
Vi @Inkvotary recently posted…Sweet Tomorrows by Debbie Macomber